A number of things make this volume extremely useful for scholars of eugenics ... One immediate strength lies in the richness of the sources used ... Another is the nuanced and complex approach contributors take to exploring the autarchic eugenic traditions of their individual states ... while, at the same time, detailing attempts to establish common eugenic values ... This extremely well-written and thoroughly-researched volume will provide scholars of eugenics and related subjects with a wealth of information and primary sources. It makes a major contribution to the study of eugenic thought.

Social History of Medicine

This excellent collection of essays is more than an introduction to East-Central European eugenics. It is a detailed investigation illuminating a rather dark period of European history ... [and] an essential read for scholars interested in both the general and specific aspects of European eugenics.

Journal of Historical Geography

This volume succeeds admirably ... [in] provid[ing] an invaluable new perspective on the transmission and adaptation of eugenic ideas in countries, which, until recently have not been part of the so-called mainstream.

European History Quarterly

The History of East-Central European Eugenics is a landmark on the subject. Providing an excellent balance of commentaries, translated primary sources, biographies, and bibliographies for further reading, it is, moreover, a model for collected books of this type in any field. Scholars and students in a range of academic disciplines, including those in medical professions, will find this book not only a useful guide to the history of eugenics in East-Central Europe but also a window into the history of science and society in modern Europe.

Medical History

Turda's book is truly fascinating. Having read it, I realise how little did I know about my neighbours' history and culture and indeed about the true history of my people too. I warmly recommend it.

Orvostörténeti Közlemények [Bloomsbury translation]

[A] remarkable new edited collection ... With such a wide breadth of countries, languages and regions to examine, Turda has set himself up for a monumental task. The book's impressive length - 656 pages in hardback - is a testimony to how seriously he and his collaborators have made an effort to meet this challenge ... The breadth of translated materials, coupled with the valuable context offered by the biographical portraits and introductory sections, makes this book an invaluable resource for any scholars studying eugenics.

CritCom